Russia in a Catch-22

Full-mobilization flies out the window

Shiny parades have become a thing of the past (Licensed Image)

This morning, as I stumbled upon two distinct comments, my initial reaction was: There goes Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hidden wish to fully mobilize the Russian state for war.

Putin’s done some wild stuff, like using state resources for the war — we’re talking housing subsidies, fat paychecks for military recruits, you name it. It’s a never-ending list. But here’s the kicker: when it comes to having a professional army to get the job done in Ukraine, he just can’t seem to hit the mark.

You cannot build an army on the go.

The first comment was from , John Kirby, U.S. National Security Council spokesman.

“Since October 11, Russia has suffered significant losses during the attempted offensive, including at least 125 armored vehicles around Avdiivka and more than a battalion’s worth of military equipment. We have information that the Russian military has actually executed soldiers who refused to obey orders. We also have information about the fact that Russian commanders threaten to shoot entire units if they try to retreat under Ukrainian artillery fire.”

“It’s reprehensible to think … that you would execute your own soldiers because they didn’t want to follow orders,” Kirby said. “And now threatening to execute…